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WHAT DID CORNELIUS HEAR?

June 6, 1999 AM

Sermon Outline

Acts 10:29-33

INTRO: The Lords last words on this earth were a commission to His disciples to go into all the world preaching the gospel. The New Testament book of Acts is the earliest historical account of the disciples going. It is an exciting book! I read in it of thousands who responded happily to that preaching. Peoplewere being baptized for the remission of their sins throughout the world. I especially like Acts 10 and the account of the conversion of Cornelius. Our lesson? What did Cornelius hear?

I. ALL NATIONS ARE SUBJECT TO GODS AUTHORITY

A. Perhaps of greater impact to Peter than Cornelius

1. Jehovah God was so familiar to the Jews

2. indeed, they thought He was theirs alone

3. certainly, paganism was the realm of Gentile world

B. Mt 28:19,20 included all nations

1. and that meant more than the Jews in those nations

2. Acts 17:24-28 He is the God of all humanity

3. there are not legitimate regional religions - God is not respecter of persons ... He is your God

II. PEACE DEPENDS ON THE REVEALED WILL OF GOD

A. Peace depends on that which can be known

1. I think - I feel - I hope - etc.??

2. not fables, not legends, not lore ... the word which God sent ... knowable, understandable, accurate

3. so much religion in the world is tradition based ... or is blindly followed as inherited religion

B. Rom 1:15-17 The power, instruction in revealed word

1. what wonderful confidence one can have in this way

2. note Acts 10:6,22,33 and 11:14 everything depended on that message in clearly understandable words

3. too, Acts 8:4 the same message everywhere

III. OF THE LIFE, DEATH AND RESURRECTION OF JESUS

A. Not hearsay ... witnessed!

1. at v.41 - well qualified witnesses (2 Pet 1:16)

2. at v. 37 - published; so, Acts 26:26

3. point? so well attested and published that few (if any) people of that era disputed the testimony!

B. Acts 17:18 This is the great beginning place

1. Jesus ... the Son of God in the flesh (Jno 1:14)

2. resurrection ... the confirmation of claims and truth (Rom 1:4)

3. there is more to teach, preach, ... re: church, Christian life ... but begin with life, death, resurrection

IV. OF JUDGMENT TO COME

A. Accountability!

1. the message of accountability is too often, these days, mentioned in passing

2. grace has been cheapened by superficial spirituality which can have

its cake and eat it, too! it may feel good - but we must come to terms with accountability based on the word

B. Acts 17:30,31

1. note 2 Cor 5:9,10

2. some might have thought this to be negative preaching ... but to help people avoid hell is positive

V. OF REMISSION OF SINS

A. Compare Acts 10:43 with 2:38

1. belief - repentance - baptism ... all required

2. the blessing? remission of sins

3. so, Acts 10:48

B. Its wonderful to tell people about remission of sins

1. but it seems difficult to convince them they must receive it as God stipulates

2. of late, something called the sinners prayer has been encouraged to receive this forgiveness ... but try thought I might, I dont find it in scripture

3. think about Acts 8:35,36 ... same message; remission received in same way

CLOSE: What must you hear? The same message. What must you do? The same thing Cornelius did!

Cecil A. Hutson

06 June 1999

God's Plan of Salvation

You must hear the gospel and then understand and recognize that you are lost without Jesus Christ no matter who you are and no matter what your background is. The Bible tells us that "all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23) Before you can be saved, you must understand that you are lost and that the only way to be saved is by obedience to the gospel of Jesus Christ. (2 Thessalonians 1:8) Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." (John 14:6) "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." (Acts 4:12) "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." (Romans 10:17)

You must believe and have faith in God because "without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him." (Hebrews 11:6) But neither belief alone nor faith alone is sufficient to save. (James 2:19; James 2:24; Matthew 7:21)

You must repent of your sins. (Acts 3:19) But repentance alone is not enough. The so-called "Sinner's Prayer" that you hear so much about today from denominational preachers does not appear anywhere in the Bible. Indeed, nowhere in the Bible was anyone ever told to pray the "Sinner's Prayer" to be saved. By contrast, there are numerous examples showing that prayer alone does not save. Saul, for example, prayed following his meeting with Jesus on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:11), but Saul was still in his sins when Ananias met him three days later (Acts 22:16). Cornelius prayed to God always, and yet there was something else he needed to do to be saved (Acts 10:2, 6, 33, 48). If prayer alone did not save Saul or Cornelius, prayer alone will not save you. You must obey the gospel. (2 Thess. 1:8)

You must confess that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. (Romans 10:9-10) Note that you do NOT need to make Jesus "Lord of your life." Why? Because Jesus is already Lord of your life whether or not you have obeyed his gospel. Indeed, we obey him, not to make him Lord, but because he already is Lord. (Acts 2:36) Also, no one in the Bible was ever told to just "accept Jesus as your personal savior." We must confess that Jesus is the Son of God, but, as with faith and repentance, confession alone does not save. (Matthew 7:21)

Having believed, repented, and confessed that Jesus is the Son of God, you must be baptized for the remission of your sins. (Acts 2:38) It is at this point (and not before) that your sins are forgiven. (Acts 22:16) It is impossible to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ without teaching the absolute necessity of baptism for salvation. (Acts 8:35-36; Romans 6:3-4; 1 Peter 3:21) Anyone who responds to the question in Acts 2:37 with an answer that contradicts Acts 2:38 is NOT proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ!

Once you are saved, God adds you to his church and writes your name in the Book of Life. (Acts 2:47; Philippians 4:3) To continue in God's grace, you must continue to serve God faithfully until death. Unless they remain faithful, those who are in God's grace will fall from grace, and those whose names are in the Book of Life will have their names blotted out of that book. (Revelation 2:10; Revelation 3:5; Galatians 5:4)